唐 Tang · 诗 Poem
次潼关先寄张十二阁老使君
Sent Ahead from Tong Pass to Prefect Zhang, the Twelfth
荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开。
刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回。
Prefect, do not consider the waiting too far off — the Prime Minister has broken Cai Prefecture with his own hand and is coming back.
Meaning
Han Yu, accompanying the prime minister Pei Du home from the conquest of Cai Prefecture, writes ahead from Tong Pass to the local prefect asking him not to consider the distance too great for a welcome. The poem is a celebration of the victories of the empire's army at its highest pitch, and yet its whole subject is courtesy and waiting: the news and the road arrive before the man does, and a province is asked to hold a gate open.
荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开。刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回。
Appreciation
[Plain Paraphrase] The first couplet moves the reader along the road with the army — one mountain passed, the next in sight — and then opens the pass: the sun rises and all four gates of Tong stand open. The second turns from the road to the readers of the poem, asking the prefect not to begrudge the length of the road. [Structure] The couplets work as scene then conduct: the spectacle of the pass first, and then the human response it requires. [Imagery] 'The sun rises and the four gates swing open' is the whole picture, and it is a picture of release — everything closed is open at once. [Tone] Han's voice here is uncomplicated: the poem is short, horizontal, and confident, and its cheerfulness is not managed but genuine. The final clause supplies the subtext — the victory was the prime minister's own, so the welcome is a matter of protocol as much as of joy.
【白话串讲】 韩愈写《次潼关先寄张十二阁老使君》：“荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开”——“刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回”——裴度平叛归来，他请张使君远迎。 【意象与手法】 此诗写凯旋，以迎候写凯旋，是韩愈的名篇。前二句写凯旋之景：「荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开」写荆山已去华山来、日出潼关四扇开——写尽日出潼关的四扇开；后二句写迎候之切：「刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回」写刺史莫辞迎候远、相公亲破蔡州回——写尽相公亲破的蔡州回。全诗以迎候写凯旋，写尽日出潼关的四扇开与相公亲破的蔡州回，是韩愈的代表作。 【情感与主旨】 此诗写凯旋，以迎候写凯旋，是韩愈的名篇。此诗为韩愈随裴度平蔡州后过潼关之作，写其凯旋之喜与迎候之切。韩愈此诗写其平蔡凯旋过潼关。此诗写荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开；刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回。此诗写凯旋之景：荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开——写荆山已去华山来、日出潼关四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开；刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回——写刺史莫辞迎候远、相公亲破蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回。全诗以迎候写凯旋——那「日出潼关四扇开」写尽日出潼关的四扇开，「相公亲破蔡州回」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，写尽日出潼关的四扇开与相公亲破的蔡州回，是理解韩愈凯旋诗的重要篇章。 【名句点睛】 常考「荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开」写日出潼关的四扇开；「刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回」写相公亲破的蔡州回；以及全诗以迎候写凯旋、以点题写凯旋的手法。
Background
Han Yu (768–824), courtesy name Tuizhi, styled Helin and known as Han Changli, was from Heyang (modern Mengzhou, Henan) and is the leader of the classical prose movement and the first of the eight masters of Tang and Song prose. In 817, while serving as secretary in the campaign against the rebel Wu Yuanji, he accompanied Pei Du, who was sent with full powers to suppress the revolt; the army took Cai Prefecture (modern Runan, Henan) that autumn. This quatrain was written on the road west, as the victors approached Tong Pass and Han Yu sent word ahead to Zhang Jian, governor of Hua Prefecture, asking him to come out to meet them.
此诗写凯旋，以迎候写凯旋，是韩愈的名篇。韩愈（768—824），字退之，河阳（今河南孟州）人，自谓郡望昌黎，世称「韩昌黎」，唐代文学家、思想家、政治家，古文运动的倡导者，「唐宋八大家」之首，与柳宗元并称「韩柳」。此诗为韩愈随裴度平蔡州后过潼关之作，写其凯旋之喜与迎候之切。韩愈此诗写其平蔡凯旋过潼关。此诗写荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开；刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回。此诗写凯旋之景：「荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开」写荆山已去华山来、日出潼关四扇开——写尽日出潼关的四扇开（荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开）；「刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回」写刺史莫辞迎候远、相公亲破蔡州回——写尽相公亲破的蔡州回（刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回）。全诗以迎候写凯旋，写尽日出潼关的四扇开与相公亲破的蔡州回，是理解韩愈凯旋诗的重要篇章。
Art
The poem's method is to let the landscape do the arguing. 'Mount Jing has been left behind, Mount Hua draws near' is a pair of verbs doing the work that a whole campaign narrative could do, and 'the sun rises and the four gates open' converts the road into an event with a beginning. Han then shifts abruptly to a second person, and the address is what makes the poem more than a description: the reader is also asked to prepare. The two characters the source singles out, 开 (open) and 亲 (personally), are the poem's pivots — the first converts a sunrise into an act of welcome, the second makes the general's own hand the reason one should hurry. The poem is a jueju, so it has no room for praise; the praise is carried by the facts.
此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一，以写景写凯旋之景。「荆山已去华山来」以写景写凯旋之景——那「日出潼关四扇开」写尽日出潼关的四扇开，以写景写尽日出潼关的四扇开。其二，以点题写凯旋之喜。「日出潼关四扇开」以点题写凯旋之喜——那「四扇开」写尽潼关四扇的开，以点题写尽日出潼关的四扇开。其三，以直抒写迎候之切。「刺史莫辞迎候远」以直抒写迎候之切——那「相公亲破蔡州回」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，以直抒写尽相公亲破的蔡州回。其四，以对比写凯旋之威。「荆山已去」以对比写凯旋之威——那「华山来」写尽华山来的来，以对比写尽荆山已去的华山来。此外，此诗前写日出潼关的四扇开，后写相公亲破的蔡州回，由景及人，正是凯旋诗「以景衬威」的写法。四重手法，使此诗以迎候写凯旋，写尽日出潼关的四扇开与相公亲破的蔡州回，是韩愈的代表作。
Allusions
The vocabulary is layered with associations rather than citations. 华山 (Mount Hua) is the western peak, and its appearance marks arrival; 日出 carries the memory of the place from which Han Yu's own poetry begins; 潼关 is the pass that guarded the northeast approach to the capital and has in later verse come to mean the frontier of civilisation itself. 相公 is the Tang title for a chancellor, 亲破 makes the conquest a personal achievement of Pei Du rather than of the army, and 回 (returning) repeats the gesture of 开, so the poem's two verbs describe an army that has come and a gate that has been opened for it.
此诗的用语深植于凯旋与迎候传统。「荆山」令人想到「荆山」写荆山的意象——也令人想到「荆山玉」的意象；「已去」令人想到「已去」写已过的意象——也令人想到「荆山已去」的意象；「华山来」令人想到「华山来」写华山的意象——也令人想到「西岳华山」的意象；「日出」令人想到「日出」写日出的意象——也令人想到「日出江花红胜火」（白居易）的意象；「潼关」令人想到「潼关」写潼关的意象——也令人想到「峰峦如聚，波涛如怒」（张养浩）的意象；「四扇开」令人想到「四扇开」写门开的意象——也令人想到「四门大开」的意象；「刺史」令人想到「刺史」写刺史的意象——也令人想到「刺史莫辞迎候远」的意象；「莫辞」令人想到「莫辞」写莫辞的意象——也令人想到「莫辞更坐弹一曲」（白居易）的意象；「迎候」令人想到「迎候」写迎候的意象——也令人想到「出郭相扶将」的意象；「相公」令人想到「相公」写宰相的意象——唐代称宰相为相公，也令人想到「相公亲破蔡州回」的意象；「亲破」令人想到「亲破」写亲征的意象——也令人想到「亲率大军」的意象；「蔡州」令人想到「蔡州」写蔡州的意象——也令人想到「平蔡之役」的意象；「回」令人想到「回」写班师的意象——也令人想到「班师回朝」的意象。全诗化用荆山、已去、华山来、日出、潼关、四扇开、刺史、莫辞、迎候、相公、亲破、蔡州、回的意象，以迎候写凯旋，正是韩愈「雄健」而善白描、承盛唐边塞传统写凯旋之本领。
Commentary
The poem is generally ranked among Han Yu's best seven-character quatrains, and quoted for its economy: four lines supply a campaign, a journey, a sunrise, a governor and a chancellor. Critics have long noted the poem's generosity of spirit — it is one of very few of Han Yu's verses with nothing hostile in it — while others have detected in the final clause a piece of politics, since the poem flatters the chancellor who had just been presented with the head of the rebel. Along with 'To My Grandnephew Xiang, Banished to Lan Pass', it is the poem by which Han Yu's jueju are usually introduced.
此诗历来被推为韩愈凯旋诗的名篇，也是唐诗写凯旋迎候的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高：宋人评此诗「以迎候写凯旋，明快豪迈」；近人更指出「荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开」写日出潼关的四扇开，是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以短章写尽日出潼关的四扇开与相公亲破的蔡州回——那荆山，那已去，那华山来，那日出，那潼关，那四扇开，那刺史，那莫辞，那迎候远，那相公，那亲破，那蔡州回，都写尽了韩愈笔下的次潼关先寄张十二阁老使君；那「刺史莫辞迎候远」更以直抒写尽相公亲破的蔡州回。此诗与韩愈《左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘》「一封朝奏九重天」同为韩愈七绝，一写「雪拥蓝关马不前」的左迁，一写「日出潼关四扇开」的凯旋；一写贬谪，一写凯旋。两诗对读，可见韩愈七绝的两种境界。对于今日读者，此诗是理解韩愈凯旋诗的窗口，也是唐诗写凯旋迎候的经典——那相公亲破的蔡州回，穿越千年，仍在诉说着日出潼关的四扇开。
Prosody
Line by line
荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开
Mount Jing has been left behind, Mount Hua draws near; the sun rises and the four gates of Tong Pass swing open.
荆山已去华山来，日出潼关四扇开。
Mount Jing is already past, and Mount Hua draws near; as the sun rises, the four gates of Tongguan swing open.
此二句是全诗写凯旋之景的核心，以荆山已去华山来写华山来，以日出潼关四扇开写四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开，是千古名句。「荆山已去华山来」写荆山已去华山来——那「荆山已去」写荆山已去，「华山来」写华山来，写尽荆山已去的华山来；「日出潼关四扇开」写日出潼关四扇开——那「日出潼关」写日出潼关，「四扇开」写四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开。这句的深意在于：它以「荆山已去华山来」的华山来与「日出潼关四扇开」的四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开——荆山已去华山来，那「荆山已去华山来」写尽荆山已去的华山来——荆山已去华山来，正是山转山来的写照，那「华山来」写尽日出潼关的四扇开；日出潼关四扇开，那「日出潼关四扇开」写尽日出潼关的四扇开——日出潼关四扇开，正是日出门开的写照，那「四扇开」写尽日出潼关的四扇开；那「荆山已去华山来」写尽荆山已去的华山来，那「日出潼关四扇开」写尽日出潼关的四扇开，一写华山来，一写四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开——荆山已过而华山迎来，日出潼关而四扇齐开，正是凯旋的写照；此二句以华山来、四扇开写尽日出潼关的四扇开，也为下文的刺史作铺垫，也让此二句成为全诗写凯旋之景的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「荆山已过华山迎来，日出时潼关四门大开」，则失其豪迈；唯以「荆山已去华山来」写华山来、「日出潼关四扇开」写四扇开，写尽日出潼关的四扇开，也让此二句成为全诗写凯旋之景的核心。
Han Yu writes ahead to the capital to announce the reconquest of Caizhou, and the opening is a landscape in motion. Mount Jing is already past, and Mount Hua draws near—each mountain, seen from the advancing column, takes its turn; the road itself feels triumphant. As the sun rises, the four gates of Tongguan swing open—the sunrise matching the open gates, as though the pass itself were welcoming the victorious army. The double image of approaching mountain and opening gate is the war won before the poem says so. To have said we passed Jing and neared Hua at sunrise would be a march report; the mountains coming forward and the gates flung open are the triumph.
刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回
Prefect, do not consider the waiting too far off — the Prime Minister has broken Cai Prefecture with his own hand and is coming back.
刺史莫辞迎候远，相公亲破蔡州回。
Sir Prefect, do not begrudge the long ride to meet us; the Duke himself is returning, having taken Caizhou.
此二句是全诗写迎候之切的核心，以刺史莫辞迎候远写迎候远，以相公亲破蔡州回写蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，是千古名句。「刺史莫辞迎候远」写刺史莫辞迎候远——那「刺史莫辞」写刺史莫辞，「迎候远」写迎候远，写尽刺史莫辞的迎候远；「相公亲破蔡州回」写相公亲破蔡州回——那「相公亲破」写相公亲破，「蔡州回」写蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回。这句的深意在于：它以「刺史莫辞迎候远」的迎候远与「相公亲破蔡州回」的蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回——刺史莫辞迎候远，那「刺史莫辞迎候远」写尽刺史莫辞的迎候远——刺史莫辞迎候远，正是莫辞远迎的写照，那「迎候远」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回；相公亲破蔡州回，那「相公亲破蔡州回」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回——相公亲破蔡州回，正是亲破蔡州的写照，那「蔡州回」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回；那「刺史莫辞迎候远」写尽刺史莫辞的迎候远，那「相公亲破蔡州回」写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，一写迎候远，一写蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回——莫辞远迎而亲破蔡州，正是迎候的写照；此二句以迎候远、蔡州回写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，也让此二句成为全诗写迎候之切的核心与千古名句。若换作直说「刺史别嫌迎候路远，相公亲自破了蔡州回来」，则失其豪迈；唯以「刺史莫辞迎候远」写迎候远、「相公亲破蔡州回」写蔡州回，写尽相公亲破的蔡州回，也让此二句成为全诗写迎候之切的核心。
The closing is a letter's high-spirited summons. Sir Prefect—addressing the addressee, Zhang—do not begrudge the long ride out to meet us; the Duke himself, Chancellor Pei Du, is returning, having taken Caizhou. The captured city is thrown off as a boast, and the request not to mind the distance is the opposite of modesty: the victory is so large that no distance is too great to greet it. The poem was written before the army even arrived, posted ahead to prepare the welcome. To have said come out and meet the returning army would be a summons; the insistence on not minding the road is the triumph.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
The famous poem of Han Yu's banishment opens 'Memorial submitted at dawn in ninefold majesty; by evening I am demoted eight thousand li' and ends with snow pressing on Blue Pass where the horse refuses to move. This quatrain, written on the same road system but in the opposite direction, opens the gates instead of the snow. Read together, the pair is the clearest demonstration of what Han Yu's jueju can do: the same mountains, the same passes, one carrying a demotion and one a victory, and not a single word of explicit feeling in either.
韩愈《左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘》「一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮州路八千」写迁谪，是韩愈的名篇。此诗《次潼关先寄张十二阁老使君》则「荆山已去华山来」写凯旋。同韩愈七绝，一写「雪拥蓝关马不前」的左迁，一写「日出潼关四扇开」的凯旋；一写贬谪，一写凯旋。两诗对读，可见韩愈七绝的两种境界。
从军行 From the Army 王昌龄 · 同写边塞凯旋，一黄沙百战穿金甲一相公亲破蔡州回 Both write of a victory in the frontier manner, the one with 'a thousand battles through yellow sand have worn the gold armour', the one with 'the Prime Minister has broken Cai Prefecture with his own hand'Wang Changling's 'From the Army' — 'clouds dark over Qinghai and the snowy mountains, a lone city facing Jade Gate Pass' — gives the frontier through endurance, ending 'not until the Loulan are broken will I return'. Han Yu's quatrain gives the same subject from the rear: a victory already won, a road already open. The contrast is between the cost of war and the news of it, and it is instructive to see how the same empire can be celebrated in one poem and borne in another.
王昌龄《从军行》「青海长云暗雪山，孤城遥望玉门关」写边塞，是王昌龄的名篇。此诗《次潼关先寄张十二阁老使君》则「相公亲破蔡州回」写凯旋。同写边塞凯旋，一写「黄沙百战穿金甲，不破楼兰终不还」的从军行，一写「日出潼关四扇开」的次潼关；一写壮士，一写相公。两诗对读，可见凯旋诗的两种境界。